


The (High) Elements of Teamwork

by DarkMK



Category: Fae Tales - not_poignant
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Obstacle course, Ropes course, Summer Camp AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-26
Updated: 2017-09-26
Packaged: 2019-01-05 18:19:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12195192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkMK/pseuds/DarkMK
Summary: Augus had no interest in conquering the high ropes course, and even less in the awkward blond boy assigned to be his partner. But strange things happen fifty feet in the air, and perhaps there is something worthwhile about thisGwynperson after all.A teenage, human, summer camp AU.





	The (High) Elements of Teamwork

**Author's Note:**

  * For [not_poignant](https://archiveofourown.org/users/not_poignant/gifts).



> So, I was on a retreat in the mountains this past weekend, and while I was climbing the very ropes course described in this story, the idea for a summer AU of teen Gwyn and Augus hit me, and I had the whole thing written out by the end of the next day (which is a very rare occurrence for me!). Anyway, I hope that you all enjoy a little fluff with some of our favorite Fae Tales characters.

"Augus! Augus, do you have a partner?"

Augus looked up at the overly cheerful camp counselor calling his name. "No," he replied. "I'm going to sit this one out."

"Nonsense!" the counselor said. "Here at Ethallas, we insist that everyone at least _try_ all the activites. And this is a brand-new Element, it's super-exciting! So, quick, find a partner!"

Augus glanced around. Everyone in the immediate vicinity appeared to be already paired. "There doesn't seem to be anyone to spare."

But the counselor was not to be deterred. "Gwyn!" he called. A tall, pale-haired boy walking by with a large bag of equipment jerked at the sound of his name. "Gwyn, after you drop that off, come back here and be Augus' partner, would you?"

Gwyn fumbled the bag, nearly dropping it. "Well, um....I—I'm not really one of the campers, I—I don't think I'm supposed to..."

Augus rolled his eyes, turning his head just enough to keep the counselor from seeing it. A partner as awkward as that? He'd be useless on a high ropes course that required precision and coordination.

"It's okay!" the counselor told Gwyn. "You've been working hard all week, you deserve a break anyway!"

Gwyn still looked very much like he would like to refuse, but eventually he mumbled an assent and hurried along on his task.

Augus listened with only half an ear as the counselor began to explain the various safety equipment and how to put on the harnesses. Why had he ever let Ash talk him into coming? His younger brother had been so excited to go to his first summer camp—but the one thing he'd insisted upon was Augus' attendance as well.

"Come on, Augus," he'd wheedled. "I _need_ you there. Plus, you've never been either, you have to come! Pleeeeease?"

Augus never could hold a refusal against his brother's puppy-dog eyes.

So he'd agreed to go along—just to keep an eye on Ash.

But Ash, always the more gregarious of the two of them, had needed Augus very little past the first day. He'd immediately struck up friendships, learning the name of nearly everyone in his age group within hours, and had charmed all the counselors besides. His enthusiasm never waned, and he fit in perfectly in the environment here. And Augus...didn't.

It wasn't that it was all that awful, really. Far from it. The food was actually pretty good compared to some of the summer camp horror stories he'd heard (though they definitely needed more vegetarian options), and the activities were varied and interesting. Swimming and rock climbing and games and hikes; everything one could wish for. But Augus just wasn't the type to be around so many people and so much busy-ness for such an extended period of time. He needed space at the end of the day to just process, to sit quietly with his own thoughts for a while, if he was going to maintain this sort of energy. But instead, people were always pulling him places, telling him 'it'll be fun, try something new!'

He sighed.

Shifting sideways, he was extremely startled to find the pale-haired boy from before (Gwyn) right beside him. He managed to turn the jerk of a surprise into a slight nod in the boy's direction and pretended to turn his attention back to the counselor. How on earth had the boy managed to sneak up on him like that? Augus would never have guessed that someone his size (he must have been well over six feet and as broad as a redwood) could move so quietly—particularly given his earlier clumsiness.

"Alright, so now that you know how the equipment works, let's explain the goal of this High Element!" Oh goodness, was that counselor _still_ talking? "Remember, this is a team effort, not an individual competition. You'll do best if you and your partner help each other at each stage. So, first! Decide beforehand which side of the course you will start on, left or right. Left climbs the tires, right climbs the column of logs. You'll climb the net and scale your chosen obstacle, getting atop the cross-wise log they're hanging from. Now's where the 'team' part really kicks in! You'll have to stand up on that log to reach the log above it. Notice that there's not really anything to grab onto there, you can _only_ use your partner to help you. There's _no_ touching the cables attaching the obstacles to the trees, nor the trees themselves. You also cannot touch your safety cable, which wouldn't help you anyway, it would just make you fall over.

"Once you're standing, you have to get on top that second log. The logs may look close together from here, but they are a good five feet apart, so it won't be easy. If you can reach the ropes hanging from the next obstacle above, you _can_ use those to help you. Anyway, once you manage to get atop that one, you'll have to climb the dangling arc of ropes to get to the topmost log. I'll give you one hint here: stepping in the middle of each arc of rope and trying to climb it like a ladder _won't_ get you there. Once you and your partner are on top of that final log, you just have to stand up and you're finished!"

One of the boys raised his hand. "But...there's nothing above the top log. Nothing to grab onto. How are we supposed to stand up?"

"Ah, sharp observation there! You'll have your partner and that's all you can use! Like I said, this is all about teamwork! The two of you will have to figure it out and help each other as best you can! Any other questions? Well, okay then, let's get's started! Who would like to go first?"

Augus hated that question. Of course no was going to volunteer to go first. Instead, the boys all looked sideways at each other, avoiding direct eye contact, each hoping that someone else would have to be the guinea pig. The first group was always the hardest, having to figure it out as they went. No one wanted to look silly because they got stuck on or failed an obstacle (no matter how much the counselors all insisted that no one would laugh). Subsequent groups nearly always had a higher chance of success.

Finally the counselor chose for them. "Gwyn, Augus, how about you go first? That way, you're not gone too long, Gwyn." Considering that Gwyn still looked like he wished to bolt, that probably wasn't an unfair assumption. Even so, Augus grimaced mentally. He didn't like being a spectacle in the best of circumstances. And unknown situations where he couldn't control the outcome were even worse. He snuck a glance at his unwilling partner. Well, the boy seemed sturdy enough. Perhaps he wouldn't be completely useless on the course. And Augus, though smaller and more lithe, could hold his own when needed.

He supposed they could make this work. They had to, if they were to succeed.

They stepped forward for their harnesses and helmets. It took Augus a few minutes to figure out which end of the harness was up (maybe he should have paid closer attention to the safety talk earlier). He was still fumbling with it when a large hand reached past him and straightened it out. "Here," Gwyn said. "This way. Think of it like a pair of pants. Step through the holes there and pull it up. Then tighten the straps here."

Augus looked at him and his brow furrowed. Gwyn dropped his eyes and stepped back. He already had his harness fully secured and was ready to go, helmet and all. Who was this strange boy, who was so knowledgeable about equipment, but was too young to be staff, and claimed not to be a regular camper? Augus shook off the thought. He could be curious later. Right now, he had a ropes course to conquer, somehow without making a fool of himself.

When they reached the bottom of the course, Augus asked, "Logs or tires?"

Gwyn looked up at parallel columns and then shrugged. "Either."

"I'll take the logs, then."

The counselor came forward and double-checked their harnesses, before clipping the carabiners onto them. "Okay, they're ready to go!" he said to the pair of belayers holding the other end of each safety rope.

And so, with a nod from the safety team, Augus and Gwyn began!

The net was easy, but the column of logs was more unstable than Augus had expected. Each time he put a foot on one of them, the entire column swung out the other direction. He gritted his teeth and forced himself upward. Eventually he reached the top, awkwardly shoving his belly on the long cross-wise log as the column beneath him continued to pendulate, before swinging his legs over and straddling the log. Lifting his head, he found that Gwyn had beaten him once more. But at least, Augus noted with a dark satisfaction, the other boy was panting slightly, so he must have struggled equally as much with the column of tires.

They simultaneously looked up at the log above them, and then at each other.

"You first," Augus said, quirking an eyebrow. "You're taller."

Gwyn nodded, slowly. He looked up again, measuring the distance, and wiped his palms absently on his shirt. Gathering himself, he carefully manuevered one leg underneath his body, and then lunged upward in a single sharp movement. He caught the log and and steadied himself. A series of claps and shouts came from below and Gwyn flushed slightly. He nodded to Augus. "Your turn."

Augus ignored the hand that Gwyn offered him. If Gwyn could do it, so could he. He copied Gwyn's preparation and went for it.

Unfortunately, his foot slipped and his hands missed the log. The adrenaline spiked as he realized he was going to topple off completely, but suddenly a single arm caught him round the waist and pulled him back. Gwyn didn't let go until Augus had wrapped both hands around the log and regained his footing.

Augus tried to master his breathing, willing his heartbeat to slow. He eyed his partner with a new appreciation. Gwyn was _strong_. Augus was no lightweight and yet Gwyn had pulled him back almost effortlessly. "Thank you," he said sincerely. The safety rope would have caught him, of course, but he would have had to re-scale the annoying log column again.

"You're welcome." Gwyn smiled slightly and Augus quirked his lips in return, then turned his attention to the next obstacle. They had to get on top of the log they were currently holding. Augus contemplated a moment. The lowest of the arcs of rope hanging from above were just within reach. He grabbed it, and in one graceful movement, swung his legs up and over, as if mounting a horse. He lifted his chin at the praise from the ground below, telling himself that it _wasn't_ about proving himself after the earlier mishap.

"Wow," Gwyn said. "Nice move."

And somehow, the words, though simple, meant more coming from Gwyn.

But Augus didn't have time dwell on that right now.

Gwyn followed suit, swinging up behind Augus, and now they only had one obstacle left to go! Standing up on this log was easy, with all the ropes to grab. But how would they climb them to get atop the final log? Augus could tell just from looking that they would swing outwards just like the column of logs had.

"You could try climbing up and stepping on my shoulder," Gwyn suggested.

Augus pursed his lips, then shook his head. "But then how would _you_ get up? No, it's probably better for you to climb up first, and then you can pull me up if necessary." He eyed the ropes, contemplating. "What if I use my weight to pull the ropes in the middle so they can't swing, and then you can climb up that way? Just don't step on my hand."

Gwyn nodded slowly. "That might work. Let's try it."

There were four ropes total, each arc getting progressively higher and smaller, though the topmost was too small to be anything more than a handhold. Gwyn grabbed it for balance, simultaneously stepping on the lowest rope. It moved outwards, but not much, since he was still more or less upright. But when Gwyn tried to put his foot on the next rope, he had to shift his upper body around the log, and the ropes swung further, preventing him from getting more than half an arm around the length of wood.

Even so, he managed to get his foot up on the third arc of rope and both arms awkwardly slung around the log. But he could go no further on his own, prevented by a lack of leverage from simply boosting his body up and over. All he needed was a few more inches.

Augus crouched and grabbed the rope Gwyn was standing on. He tried to pull the rope straight, but that just made Gwyn's feet slide toward his hand. He let go for a moment. "Gwyn, spread your feet as far apart as you can." As Gwyn complied, the circular arc of rope was forced into a more rectangular shape, which had the dual benefit of making space for Augus' hand and pushing Gwyn just that little bit closer to the log. Augus grabbed the rope again, using all his weight to pull it as straight as he could, and with those few inches of leeway Gwyn gave a great heave, shoving his body up and over.

Once he was settled, Augus followed. This time, he took the hand that Gwyn offered, allowing the other boy to help clamber up and over. It was still a bit of an awkward struggle, but they managed it!

Augus allowed himself a small smile as he looked at Gwyn. "We're almost there. We just have to stand up."

A matching smile slowly spread across Gywn's face and he nodded. Once again, he offered Augus his hand, wrapping his legs tightly around the log for balance. Augus took a slow breath as he carefully shifted his feet under himself. Such a simple movement, standing up, but the ground was now helpfully reminding him that it was at least forty-five feet down, and that unlike before, Gwyn wouldn't be able to catch him if he fell. He would only get one chance to get his balance.

He took a few more deep breaths. His leg muscles trembled slightly and Augus realized that the longer he put it off, the harder it would become. He inched a little closer to Gwyn. "Can I use your shoulder for support instead?"

Gwyn nodded and braced himself. Augus grabbed on, fingers digging in, and slowly, slowly, he stood. He wobbled for a moment, but he was up! He looked at Gwyn and nodded once. Gwyn got his feet under him like Augus had, and then, using Augus as support, he also began to stand. Augus had to admire the careful way he did it. Rather than just jerk his arm however he needed, he made sure that whichever way he pulled, it would not knock Augus sideways off his precarious perch.

And then they were both on their feet.

Standing on a log with no handholds, fifty feet off the ground.

The rest of the boys below let out a chorus of cheers and whistles. The counselors shouted congratulations. And then from further away, a familiar voice yelled, "Way to go, Augus!" and Augus looked over to see his brother's age group walking by on the way to their own activity. Ash pumped his fist and jumped into the air in excitement. Augus lifted his hand in a slight wave, careful not to let it upset his balance.

"Alright, you can come on down now!" the counselor called.

When those manning the safety ropes signaled that they were ready, the two boys stepped backwards simultaneously off the log, letting the belayers lower them gently down to the ground.

Once down and unclipped, they were surrounded by the other boys offering them high fives and more congratulations.

"Great job!"

"That was wild!"

"You guys dominated that course!"

After they finally had space to breathe once more, Augus turned and smiled again at Gwyn. "We did it. That was wonderful." He grasped Gwyn's shoulder. "I couldn't have done it without you. Thank you."

Gwyn flushed at the praise, biting his lip, but still beaming nonetheless. "I wouldn't have been able to do it at all if it hadn't been for you." He smile faded slightly. "Though I should probably get back to work now."

He began to move away. Augus stepped forward impulsively. "Gwyn!"

The other boy turned back. "Yes?"

"We...have some free time in an hour. Will you still be working then?"

Gwyn bit his lip and shrugged. "I...I don't know."

"Well, if you are free, I'll be sitting on the large deck with the fire pit. And you should come by."

"Oh...." Gwyn made that shy half-smile again. "I'll...I'll try."

"I'll be waiting."

 

And that was the beginning of a friendship between Augus Each Uisge and Gwyn ap Nudd which not only made summer camp slightly tolerable...but perhaps, one might say...even downright enjoyable.

**Author's Note:**

> So, weird thoughts hit a person when you are fifty feet up, on a ropes course, in the woods, on a mountain, and I suddenly wondered what Gwyn and Augus would do if they were climbing it. And originally this would have been a crackfic in which Augus uses his waterweed to cheat his way up, and Gwyn makes himself into a glowing Christmas ornament at the top, but once I began thinking about how a summer camp AU would work for the two of them, it somehow morphed into a legitimate fic. I can totally see the expansion of this into a little series, and have lots of ideas about how everything would work, but time constraints in my life right now are such that it probably won't ever be more than this little oneshot. (But who knows what the future holds, right?) Anyway, I hope that you all enjoyed the story and that my step-by-step explanations/descriptions were clear and not too rambly!


End file.
